Hi guys, building a Magus Monk focusing on unarmed combat, and spell strikes. Ill be using Spell Blending a few times to get some extra spells, Flamboyant Arcana to Parry attacks possibly, might try doing the Dimensional Agility feat chain. Any advice on which Monk Archetype to go with? I plan on making a defensive character that sets up opponents for spell strikes.
Modeling the idea of the character from Kakashi from Naruto, I know there is no single class that can make a ninja from that Anime, but I'm looking for as close as I can get. 3rd party is out, only Pathfinder classes, and archetypes are a go.
4k gold to start, level 6, and Id prefer the build not require a race, as I'm still unsure of which to play at this time. Current group has a Cleric, Fighter, and a Rogue, so I'm filling in as part time blaster with spell strikes, and possible flanking partner to rogue.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
|
I would recommend pure Magus, as it doesn't really mesh with monk all that well. Use your spells and arcana to improve your defenses, or take a defensive archetype like Staff Magus.
The Esoteric archetype isn't needed: a regular Magus can already spellstrike with unarmed strikes anyway. This allows you to e.g. take Hexcrafter archetype and Hex Strike feat.
Not overly impressed, or interested in the staff archetype, Ill be sticking with Esoteric for the Magus, and likely dip into Unchained Monk, if theres any advice on archetypes from that class that would be great, thanks!
Well, for starters, Unchained Monk just doesn't have very many archetypes (2 or 3 total), because it is incompatible with nearly all Classic M9nk archetypes.
Great start, anything else you want to add? This isnt for PFS, this is a request for help with what Im looking at to best help the build, and so far its been don't do monk, don't do that archetype.
Just don't know what you're getting out of Monk. It would delay your magus progression.. Wearing light armor gives you access to the excellent brawling enchantment, that plus arcane pool means you're AoMF won't be subpar lime other unarmeds. You won't be able to flurry when you're using spell combat. If you don't like the look of armor, haramaki or darkleaf leathers aren't armor-like at all.
If you must, instead of unchained, master of many styles could work, you could have two active styles with one level dip, and the style master feat makes them free actions, and you don't have to give up your brawling armor or over invest in wis.
Outslug is excellent, with no penalty lunge and the 3rd feat you'd often be able to avoid having to cast defensively.. You could mix that with crane or dragon or snake, or maybe even djinni to get a bonus to all electric damage instead of just with elemental fist like the other ele styles.. This would tie up most of your feats, though..
If not MoMS, Sohei would let you armored flurry when not spell combatting, and always act in surprise round doesn't suck..
@Cult thanks for breaking that way down for me, I never considered the idea I would lose Spell combat while in a flurry. Your style options seem to make a lot of sense. Armor isn't the issue, I was looking at keeping armed strike damage progressing while picking up Style feats, or possibly a maneuver archetype to go with a soft art of dodges, strikes, and and holds. Given that I cant flurry MoMS with base Monk seems the better path then unchained.
If I didnt go monk, and stayed with Esoteric Magus, any ideas on feat progression to keep with the feel of an unarmed fighter with a nuke up his sleeve? Is dipping into anything else worth it?
Also is the Serpent-fire/Chakra system worth it, or is it one of those trap feat lines that looks decent, but really isn't, Kirin Style im looking at you.
|
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
|
If I didnt go monk, and stayed with Esoteric Magus, any ideas on feat progression to keep with the feel of an unarmed fighter with a nuke up his sleeve? Is dipping into anything else worth it?
Generally speaking, spellcasting classes with lots of class features don't benefit much from dipping. You'll delay spellcasting, and arcana, and your arcane pool enchantment, AND your bonus feats; and there just isn't much that is worth it. If you really must, go either crossblooded sorcerer, or snakebite brawler.
Assuming a Brawler lvl 5 + Esoteric Magus lvl 5, how does Close Weapon Mastery Work? Does a dagger get the unarmed damage of a level 1 Brawler, or a level 6 "monk" due to both classes having unarmed strike damage progression?
The chakra/kundalini stuff is, sadly, not worth the investment :(. I really wish it were, because the concept is amazing, but it only becomes barely viable if you invest your entire character into it, taking a specific monk archetype and selling your shoes for half a point of ki.
Maybe the bigger question is how many levels to invest in esoteric magus. I agree that the archetype is really cool, but its power comes from gaining more spells. I think you're looking for more static power with a little magic and an occasional spike in power.
So why not just go five levels in magus and then the rest in the unarmed fighting class of your choice? Brawler's flurry should work with spell strike, so just prep a bunch of Shocking Grasps and occasionally get an extra shocking punch. Level 5 also gets you a sweet tattoo.
@Gozreh I figured as much in the lines of the Kundalini situation. Sounds extremely cool, but to much for my Magus to deal with.
I want to go into Magus at least deep enough to pick up 4th, maybe 5th level spells. Theres a few skills from the show id like to be able to do, illusion clones, lightning strikes via hand, winking an object from reality (which I guess best way would be teleport object, or something along those lines), some decent hand to hand, and a wall of mud/stone/rock etc that can be used as a shield via spell blending - Blast Barrier